GB2383352A

GB2383352A - Fixing tongue and groove panels to a support rail

Info

Publication number: GB2383352A
Application number: GB0229049A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Rawlings
Original assignee: Architectural & Metal Systems
Current assignee: Architectural & Metal Systems
Priority date: 2001-12-19
Filing date: 2002-12-13
Publication date: 2003-06-25
Anticipated expiration: 2022-12-13
Also published as: GB2383352B; GB0229049D0; IE20011086A1

Abstract

A system comprises a support rail (22), a plurality of prefabricated cladding panels (10) having tongue and groove formations (12, 14) and an elongate fixing arrangement (30) attached to the rail and including at least one formation which co-operates with at least a tongue or a groove of a said panel. Preferably the formation includes a one or both of a groove (34) which engages a tongue of the panel and a tongue (32) which is received in a groove of the panel. Also a region (36) to close the gap between adjacent panels and a thermal break (28) may be included. Means may be provided for securing the fixing arrangement to the rail, which could be integral to the fixing arrangement.

Description

CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM This invention relates to a construction system for use in the construction of buildings, and in particular to the construction of the external walls thereof In a known building technique a support structure is constructed by securing a number of uprights of steel construction in their desired positions, the uprights being used to support the roof of the building. A number of prefabricated cladding panels are secured to the uprights to form the walls of the building.

The panels are typically of tongue and groove form and are designed to be able to withstand large vertical loads, in use, thus a significant proportion of the weight of each cladding panel is carried by other cladding panels rather than being transmitted to the uprights.

Although the panels are capable of withstanding large vertical loadings, their design is such that they tend to flex when a horizontal loading is applied to a face thereof, for example under strong wind conditions. In order to counter such flexing, a secondary steel structure is constructed, the secondary steel structure being in the form of a series of cross members secured between the uprights, for example by welding or by bolting, and the panels are fixed to the cross members.

Typically, the panels are secured to the cross members by being bolted thereto.

The provision of such a secondary steel structure is time consuming and increases the building costs. Further, in the finished building there is often a requirement for the secondary steel structure to be boxed in or otherwise covered as it may be unsightly. It is an object of the invention to provide a construction system in which these disadvantages are obviated.

According to the present invention there is provided a construction system comprising a plurality of prefabricated cladding panels having tongue and groove formations, a support rail of extruded form, and an elongate fixing arrangement attached to the support rail for securing at least one of the panels to the support rail, the elongate fixing arrangement including a formation cooperable with at least a tongue or groove formation of the said at least one of the panels.

Conveniently, means are provided for securing the elongate fixing arrangement to the support rail. Alternatively, the elongate fixing means may be integral with the support rail.

The support rail is conveniently supported, at its ends, by steel uprights. The use of such a support rail, rather than secondary steel structure, reduces the

construction time. Further, the extruded material of the support rail may be suitably factory finished before installation removing the necessity to box in or otherwise hide the support rail, again reducing construction time.

The formation of the elongate fixing arrangement conveniently includes a groove arranged to receive the tongue of one cladding panel, a tongue arranged to be received within the groove of another adjacent cladding panel, and a region arranged to close the space between the cladding panels. Alternatively, for example where used at the top or bottom of the wall or where, for example, a window or door is to be fitted, the elongate fixing arrangement may be shaped to co-operate with only one cladding panel.

Conveniently, the fixing means includes a thermal break or barrier to maintain the integrity of the thermal insulation of the system.

The invention will further be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing (figure 1) which is a sectional view of part of a construction system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

The construction system shown, in part, in figure 1 comprises a number of prefabricated, thermally insulating cladding panels 10. Each panel 10 includes,

along its upper edge, a tongue 12. Further, along the lower edge of each panel 10 there is formed a groove 14. The tongue 12 and groove 14 are shaped to conform, generally, with one another such that the tongue 12 of one panel 10 can be received within the groove 14 of an adjacent panel 10. Each panel 10 comprises inner and outer roll-formed aluminium or steel skins 16,18 between which an insulating material 20 is located. Although roll-formed panels are illustrated and described, the invention may also be used with other types of panels, for example panels in which the skins are press formed.

The system shown in Figure I further comprises a support rail 22 of extruded aluminium or plastics form, the rail 22 being of box or hollow section and having formed along one side thereof a plurality of spigots 24, each of which is formed with a blind bore 26. Clipped to each spigot 24 is a thermally insulating member 28. Each thermally insulating member 28 is provided with an opening aligned with the respective blind bore 26.

An elongate fixing member 30 of extruded aluminium or plastics form is securable to the spigots 24 by means of self tapping screws 31. The elongate fixing member 30 is shaped to define a tongue region 32 shaped to be receivable within a part of the groove 14 of a panel 10 and a groove region 34 shaped to receive a part of the tongue 12 of a panel 10. The elongate fixing member 30

further includes a region 36 shaped to close a gap formed between adjacent panels 10 due to the presence of the elongate fixing member 30 there between.

In use, during construction of a building, steel uprights are secured in position and construction of the wall commences by securing panels 10 thereto in the usual manner, the tongue 12 of each panel 10 being received within the groove 14 of an adjacent panel 10. At intervals during the construction process, a support rail is secured between two uprights at the level of the support edge of one of the panels 10, an elongate fixing member 30 is positioned on the panel 10 with part of the tongue 12 of the panel 10 located within the groove region 34.

The elongate fixing member 30 is then bolted to the rail 22.

Once the elongate fixing member has been secured in position, construction continues with the next panel 10 being positioned such that the tongue region 32 of the elongate fixing member 30 is received within the groove 14 of the panel 10.

As shown in figure 1, the region 36 of the elongate fixing member 30 serves to close the gap between the panels 10, preserving the weatherproof nature of the wall, and the member 28 serves as thermal break, maintaining the integrity of the thermal insulation. As described hereinbefore, the panels 10 are substantially

self-supporting, and the presence of the rail 22 gives the wall lateral stability without the complexity of having to provide a secondary steel structure. Further, to a degree the positions of the rails can be chosen to suit the building, provided the chosen positions maintain the require lateral stability. Where the positioning results in the rails 22 being exposed, rails of a chosen profile may be used to suit the building and avoid having to box in or otherwise hide the rails.

Elongate fixing members of alternative sections may be used, for example at the top or bottom of the wall or where a door or window unit is to be fitted and thus the member is to engage only one panel, or where the elongate fixing members are to be used with cladding panels of different cross section.

In an alternative arrangement, the elongate fixing member is permanently or integrally attached to the support rail, a thermal break conveniently being incorporated into the elongate fixing member.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A construction system comprising a plurality of prefabricated cladding panels having tongue and groove formations, a support rail of extruded form, and an elongate fixing arrangement attached to the support rail for securing at least one of the panels to the support rail, the elongate fixing arrangement including a formation co-operable with at least a tongue or groove formation of the said at least one of the panels.
2. A system according to Claim 1, wherein means are provided for securing the elongate fixing arrangement to the support rail.
3. A system according to Claim 1, wherein the elongate fixing means is integral with the support rail.
4. A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support rail is supported, at its ends, by steel uprights.
5. A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the formation of the elongate fixing arrangement includes a groove arranged to receive the tongue of one cladding panel, a tongue arranged to be received

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within the groove of another adjacent cladding panel, and a region arranged to close the space between the cladding panels.
6. A system according to any of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the elongate fixing arrangement is shaped to co-operate with only one cladding panel.
7. A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fixing means includes a thermal break or barrier to maintain the integrity of the thermal insulation of the system.
8. An elongate fixing arrangement for use in a system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.